Fables and Stories: Supplemental Guide 2A | The Maid and the Milk Pail 37
Introducing the Read-Aloud 15 minutes
Fable Review
- Remind students that fables are one type of fiction story.
- Review the three characteristics of fables: fables are very short
stories, they teach a lesson called “the moral of the story,” and
sometimes have animal characters that act like people. Tell students
that the fables they will hear were made up by a famous storyteller
called Aesop (EE-sop). The fables they will hear are known as “Aesop’s
Fables.” - Tell students the moral of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”: If you often
don’t tell the truth, people won’t believe you even when you are telling
the truth. Read the student-created moral of the story written under
the image of the fable. - Have partner pairs retell this fable using Response Card 1 to point
out the characters and setting and to talk about the plot. Allow one
minute for students to talk. Call on one volunteer partner pair to retell
the fable.
Introducing “The Maid and the Milk Pail”
Show image 2A-1: Milkmaid and the spilled milk
- Tell students that today they will hear a fable called, “The Maid and
the Milk Pail.” - Ask students to find the main character in this fable. (the milkmaid)
- Have students say milkmaid with you three times.
- Ask students what they think a milkmaid’s job is. Explain that a
milkmaid is a girl who milks cows. Long ago, milkmaids milked the
cows by hand; it was hard work and took a long time. The milkmaid’s
job is important because cows need to be milked everyday. The
milkmaid in this fable liked to carry the pail of milk on her head.
[Demonstrate balancing a pail on your head.]
TThe Maid and the he Maid and the